The Meaning of Luke 11:11 Explained

Luke 11:11

KJV: If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

YLT: And of which of you -- the father -- if the son shall ask a loaf, a stone will he present to him? and if a fish, will he instead of a fish, a serpent present to him?

Darby: But of whom of you that is a father shall a son ask bread, and the father shall give him a stone? or also a fish, and instead of a fish shall give him a serpent?

ASV: And of which of you that is a father shall his son ask a loaf, and he give him a stone? or a fish, and he for a fish give him a serpent?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If  a son  shall ask  bread  of any of you  that is a father,  will he give  him  a stone?  or  if [he ask] a fish,  will he  for  a fish  give  him  a serpent? 

What does Luke 11:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 11:5-13 - Encouragement To Persevering Prayer
The parable of the three friends is very encouraging. We, so to speak, are to act as mediators or intercessors between those who are in sore need and our great Heavenly Friend. They are always coming to us on their journey, and we feel that we have nothing to set before them. Whether their need is for body, mind or spirit, they find us poor and bankrupt. But, at such times, let us turn to God with earnest prayer. If persistence in prayer prevails over the churlish and self-indulgent, what will it not achieve with the One who is "rich unto all that call upon Him!" He will give us just as much as we need.
Notice that how much more! Count the stars scattered on the vault of night, or the daisies in the fields, or the myriads of living creatures, sustained as the pensioners of His bounty, and ask yourself if He cannot give enough good gifts, and His Spirit withal, to supply all your need. What would you not do for your helpless little child? "How much more"¦" See Philippians 4:19. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 11

1  Jesus teaches us to pray, and that instantly;
11  assuring us that God will give all good things to those who ask him
14  He, casting out a demon, rebukes the blasphemous Pharisees;
27  and shows who are blessed;
29  preaches to the people;
37  and reprimands the outward show of holiness

Greek Commentary for Luke 11:11

Of which of you that is a father [τινα δε εχ υμων τον πατερα]
There is a decided anacoluthon here. The MSS. differ a great deal. The text of Westcott and Hort makes τον πατερα — ton patera (the father) in apposition with τινα — tina (of whom) and in the accusative the object of αιτησει — aitēsei (shall ask) which has also another accusative (both person and thing) “a loaf.” So far so good. But the rest of the sentence is, will ye give him a stone? Μη — Mē shows that the answer No is expected, but the trouble is that the interrogative τινα — tina in the first clause is in the accusative the object of αιτησει — aitēsei while here the same man (he) is the subject of επιδωσει — epidōsei It is a very awkward piece of Greek and yet it is intelligible. Some of the old MSS. do not have the part about “loaf” and “stone,” but only the two remaining parts about “fish” and “serpent,” “egg” and “scorpion.” The same difficult construction is carried over into these questions also. [source]
Of any of you [τίνα]
The A. V. renders as though the pronoun were indefinite; but it is interrogative and commences the sentence. Rev., therefore, rightly, of which of you that is a father, etc. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 11:11

John 1:16 For [οτι]
Correct text (Aleph B C D L) and not και — kai (and) of the Textus Receptus. Explanatory reason for John 1:14. Of his fulness The only instance of πληρωμα — plērōma in John‘s writings, though five times of Christ in Paul‘s Epistles (Colossians 1:19; Colossians 2:9; Ephesians 1:23; Ephesians 3:19; Ephesians 4:13). See Colossians 1:19 for discussion of these terms of the Gnostics that Paul employs for all the attributes of God summed up in Christ (Colossians 2:9) and so used here by John of the Incarnate Logos. We all John is facing the same Gnostic depreciation of Christ of which Paul writes in Colossians. So here John appeals to all his own contemporaries as participants with him in the fulness of the Logos. Received Second aorist active indicative of λαμβανω — lambanō a wider experience than beholding The point is in αντι — anti a preposition disappearing in the Koiné and here only in John. It is in the locative case of αντα — anta (end), “at the end,” and was used of exchange in sale. See Luke 11:11, αντι ιχτυος οπιν — anti ichthuos ophin “a serpent for a fish,” Hebrews 12:2 where “joy” and “cross” are balanced against each other. Here the picture is “grace” taking the place of “grace” like the manna fresh each morning, new grace for the new day and the new service. [source]
James 3:13 Who [Τις]
Rhetorical interrogative like Luke 11:11. Common in Paul and characteristic of the diatribe. James here returns to the standpoint of James 3:1 about many teachers. Speech and wisdom are both liable to abuse (1 Corinthians 1:5, 1 Corinthians 1:17; 2:1-3:20). [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 11:11 mean?

Which now of you who [is] a father will ask for the son a fish and instead of a fish a serpent to him will he give
Τίνα δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν τὸν πατέρα αἰτήσει υἱὸς ἰχθύν καὶ ἀντὶ ἰχθύος ὄφιν αὐτῷ ἐπιδώσει

δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
τὸν  who  [is] 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πατέρα  a  father 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: προπάτωρ 
Sense: generator or male ancestor.
αἰτήσει  will  ask  for 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: αἰτέω  
Sense: to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require.
υἱὸς  son 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
ἰχθύν  a  fish 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἰχθύς  
Sense: a fish.
ἀντὶ  instead  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἀντί  
Sense: over against, opposite to, before.
ἰχθύος  a  fish 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἰχθύς  
Sense: a fish.
ὄφιν  a  serpent 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ὄφις  
Sense: snake, serpent.
αὐτῷ  to  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἐπιδώσει  will  he  give 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐπιδίδωμι 
Sense: to hand, give by hand.

What are the major concepts related to Luke 11:11?

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